Estimating prion adsorption capacity of soil by BioAssay of Subtracted Infectivity from Complex Solutions (BASICS).

Prions, the infectious agent of scrapie, chronic wasting disease and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, are misfolded proteins that are highly stable and resistant to degradation. Prions are known to associate with clay and other soil components, enhancing their persistence and surprisingly, transmissibility. Currently, few detection and quantification methods exist for prions in soil, hindering an understanding of prion persistence and infectivity in the environment.

Habituation of 10-year-old hockey players to treadmill skating.

This study assessed changes in selected physiological and kinematic variables over 6 weeks of treadmill skating in an effort to understand the process of habituation to this novel training modality. Seven male, Atom-A hockey players who were injury-free and had no previous treadmill skating experience participated in the study. Players performed four 1-min skating bouts at progressively increasing speeds, each week, for 6 weeks.

Landing for success: a biomechanical and perceptual analysis of on-ice jumps in figure skating.

Technical evaluation in the sport of figure skating is characterized by a subjective marking system. Figure skating judges are responsible for quickly and accurately discerning the quality of technical elements as well as assigning a score to the overall aesthetic appearance of a performance. Traditionally, overall placement marks are assigned for the entire performance; however, the landing of a jump is widely acknowledged as one of the most critical elements of a skater's program.

Topiramate in Bipolar and Schizoaffective Disorders: Weight Loss and Efficacy.

BACKGROUND: Although useful in bipolar disorder, mood stabilizers, such as lithium, divalproex sodium, and carbamazepine, can cause significant weight gain. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 5 patients with DSM-IV bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder who were treated with topiramate as adjunctive therapy or monotherapy. RESULTS: All 5 patients had a good response to treatment at a mean topiramate dose of 195 mg/day (range, 100-375 mg/day).

Impact forces upon landing single, double, and triple revolution jumps in figure skaters.

INTRODUCTION:: Competitive success in the sport of figure skating has been largely attributed to the skater's ability to execute multi-revolution jumps, landing backwards, on a single leg, in a prescribed configuration. The extent to which additional revolutions contributes to greater vertical force upon landing was assessed to determine if advanced technical feats places these young athletes at risk of potential impact related injuries. METHODS:: Twenty four competitive figure skaters ranging in technical classification (Juvenile, Novice, and Senior) and age (10 to 26 yrs.